What are our chances of playing the Falcons for the 3rd time
 

Is it a given?

Not sure. I think if Det. wins then we get Det.

We play Atlanta unless Detroit loses to Green Bay and Atlanta beats the Bucs.

Green Bay decides who plays us. Green decides to play and beat Detroit we get det who would be the 6th seed. Green Bay sits det wins we would get atl at the 6th seed.

Whoevers the 6th seed unless by some miracle STL decides to play.

Not a given BUT if I was a betting man I would put oney on it!!

Arsaint can tell you...

The thing that is kind of nice, is that it looks like all three possible teams that we might likely face in the first round, we have already beaten them all pretty soundly, so far this year. And not squeaked by with a field goal or whatever, I mean epic beatdowns where we outscored them 2 to 1 and they pulled their starter and put their backup QB in, before the end of the game, just humiliating throw-in-the-towel type of beatdowns. So I feel pretty good no matter who we play.

True. Atlanta has the tiebreaker on Detroit, so if they end up with the same record, Atlanta would be the #5 seed. That is the only way ATL can get the #5, otherwise it is Detroit.

I can't see the Bucs waking up and I would bet money Mike Smith and the boys want to make a statement of their own after the spanking they took on MNF.

Atlanta will win. Question is, what does Green Bay want?

1) Risk injuries and try for the sweep of the Lions, sending them to the Superdome in the playoffs (where there are going down!).
2) Rest players and probably let the Lions have the game. This would mean that the Lions would only be a victory away (over the Cowboys or Giants) from a divisional round trip to Lambeau.

Something tells me that the Packers don't want to see the Lions again, especially if they lost to them in Week 17 (even with the asterik of resting starters). Talk about a confident Lions team coming in, having won in Lambeau 2 weeks earlier...

The stats from arsaint above are absolutely spot on about seeding. However point 2 is perhaps a little misleading.

If the Lions lost this week and do end up as the #6 seed then they are still only one win away from a divisional match with Green Bay at Lambeau. Assuming they turned the Saints over (a possibility but I would like to think it wouldn't happen), as the lowest seed left they would go to Green Bay.

Ironically, if Green Bay didn't want to see Detroit again until the NFC Championship game at the earliest, then they would be better throwing the game in week 17 and ensuring the Lions finished as #5 seed. They would then want the #6 seed Falcons to beat the Saints meaning Falcons would go to Lambeau and Lions to 49ers. Only then, assuming Lions won in SanFran, would they see Lions again and that time, in Lambeau, for the NFC Championship.

So not to try and make a big point about it but just getting it all straight :)

As a betting man, I am comfortable in my assumption that the Packers are more than happy to rest players against Lions, lose the game and see them as and when they see them. I will be putting a whole lot of money on the Lions this week I can assure you :) The Lions will be equally keen not to go to New Orleans for their WildCard game!